Tarragon Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Avocado Mayonnaise

This tarragon chicken salad is a fresh, protein-rich, and nutritious meal-prep favorite made with tender shredded chicken, crisp celery, cranberries, and a creamy avocado mayonnaise dressing. The tarragon adds a delicate anise-like aroma that brightens the whole dish, making it a healthy, flavorful option for easy lunches, sandwiches, or salads throughout the week.

Chicken Salad: Versatile, Nutritious, Tasty

This tarragon chicken salad has long been one of my favorite meal-prep staples — simple to make, easy to store, and incredibly versatile. A batch made on the weekend can carry you through several days of delicious lunches: spoon it over greens, tuck it into a sandwich, roll it into nori sheets, or enjoy it just as it is.

The combination of pasture-raised chicken, crisp celery, tart unsweetened dry cranberries, and fragrant fresh tarragon creates a salad that’s both refreshing and satisfying. Add some avocado for extra fiber and nutrients. Just make sure you add it right before serving.

I keep the dressing light with avocado mayonnaise (or my healthy homemade mayo), a squeeze of lemon, and a little extra-virgin olive oil.

Tarragon: Aromatic and Elegant

Tarragon has a very distinctive flavor — elegant, aromatic, and a little unexpected. It tastes slightly sweet with soft anise notes, almost like a gentler licorice. There’s also a fresh, herbal brightness that makes it feel both comforting and sophisticated. In a dish like chicken salad, tarragon adds a lift — a fragrant, almost floral freshness that cuts through richness and brings the whole recipe to life without overpowering it.

If you’re making this for little ones or anyone unsure about tarragon, start with a small amount and add more to taste.

How to Serve Tarragon Chicken Salad

You can enjoy this delicious, nutritious salad in so many ways — straight from the bowl, spooned over mixed greens, wrapped in nori sheets or gluten-free tortillas, or layered into a sandwich with your favorite gluten-free bread.

However you serve it, this is the kind of everyday recipe that makes healthy eating feel effortless.

More Chicken Salad Recipes

If you are looking for more chicken recipes, be sure also to check my other healthy, delicious, and easy chicken salad recipes:

• Easy Turkey or Chicken Salad with Homemade Egg-Free Mayonnaise
• Italian Chicken Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Chicken and Tahini Salad with Chickpeas and Asparagus
• Sea Vegetables Chicken Salad with Miracle Noodles

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